Celebrating the British Monarchy’s Relationship with Stratford-upon-Avon

From Shakespeare’s celebrated plays depicting dynastic feuds and ‘uneasy’ crowns during the Wars of the Roses, to the pomp and circumstance of Queen Victoria and beyond, the connection between British monarchs, Shakespeare, and Stratford-upon-Avon is an enduring one.

Not only has the town significantly celebrated coronations, but the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has been honoured to welcome the King on three separate occasions – when he visited us as Prince of Wales, in 1995, 2002, and 2016. His signatures are in our Royal Visitors’ Book.

As we approach the coronation of King Charles III we are reminded that the King studied Shakespeare as a student at Gordonstoun, playing Macbeth there in 1965. In 1991 he became President of the RSC and in 2016 performed in their televised 400th-anniversary gala, Shakespeare Live! He made his own selection of favourite Shakespeare speeches and scenes, The Prince’s Choice in 1995, which was also released on CD with the voices of some of the nation’s leading actors.

We hope you enjoy browsing through a gallery of images from our collections highlighting the King and the monarchy’s relationship with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Shakespeare, and Stratford-upon-Avon over the years.